Car-coupling.



J. S McGUlGAN.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIB. 191s.

Patentd Mar. 14, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH S. MCGUIGAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CAR-COUPLING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. MCGUIGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car couplers of the type in which the draw-head is provided with a horizontally-movable connecting element that is adapted to interlock with the connecting element on the draw-head of a cooperating coupler. In the car couplers of this type that are now in general use the bearing surface or face of the connecting element on the draw-head that co-acts with or bears upon the connecting element of the cooperating coupler is plain or smooth and so designed that it is possible for the connecting elements of the cooperating couplers to move vertically relatively to each other sufficiently to cause said connecting elements tobe disengaged. This frequently occurs when a car becomes derailed, and if the train is on a grade or incline, great damage is liable to result, by reason of some of the cars breaking away and rolling down the incline under no control. Another objectionable feature of couplers of this type is that they do not form an efiicient means for coupling two cars, one of whose drawbars is arranged considerably higher than the draw-bar on the other car, the smooth co-acting faces on the connecting elements making it possible for them to pull apart vertically When the draw-heads are given a sudden shock or pull. Furthermore, if the draw-head on one car is located much lower than the draw-head on the adjacent car, or arranged in such a position that no portions of the connecting elements will lie in the same horizontal plane, it is impossible to couple the cars together, even though one draw-head is raised or moved upwardly, owing to the fact that the smooth co-acting faces on the connecting elements will not hold the lower draw-head in its raised position. The main object of myinv 'ntion is to provide a practicable car coupler that complies with standard requirements and which is so designed that it prevents accidental uncoupling of a train of cars, due to a de- Serial No. 28,314.

cicled or abnormal vertical movement of the draw-heads or connecting elements of the couplers.

Another object is to provide a car coupler of novel construction which is so designed that two cars whose draw-bars are located in widely separated horizontal planes can be coupled together.

Figure 1 is a top plan View, illustrating two car couplers constructed in accordance w th my invention in operative engagement with each other. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Flg. 3 is an end elevational View of the knuckle; and Fig. 4 is a top plan View, illustrating a slight modification of my 111- vention.

Referring to the drawings, which illusto interlock with the knuckle of the 00-,

operatin coupler. 'In general outline the knuckle B is substantially the same as the standard M. C. B. knuckle, and the coupler is provided with means (not shown) for locking said knuckle in operative position. The knuckle B is so designed that it cannot move vertically relatively to the knuckle of the cooperating coupler when the coupler is 1n service. In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the knuckle B is rovided throughout its entire length or height with horizontally-disposed ribs or teeth 6 that interlock with similar teeth on the knuckle of the cooperating coupler, said ribs 6 extending transversely across the outer end of the knuckle and across the inner side or bearing surface of the knuckle that co-acts with the knuckle of the cooperating coupler. lVhen the coupler is in service the cooperating ribs or teeth 6 on the knuckles interlock with each other, as shown in F ig. 2, and thus prevent the draw-heads on the knuckles from moving vertically relatively to each other sufiiciently to disengage the knuckles. The ribs 6 are preferably made substantially wedge-shaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 2, so that they will seat or mesh automatically with the ribs on the cooperating knuckle during the operation of coupling the cars together, the ends of said ribs are rounded oil slightly, as shown in Fig. 2, so that they will not bear against the bottoms of the pockets or grooves into which they project, thus forming a rugged, horizontally-corrugated surface on the knuckle that can wear down con siderably and still enable the ribs 6 to perform their function;

The draw-bar l of eachcoupler is supported in such a manner that it can move vertically when the cars are in motion, this being accomplished in the construction herein illustrated by supporting the draw-bar on a spring 7 that is carried by a hanger or carry iron 8 on the under frame of the car. It is immaterial, however, so far as my broad. idea is concerned, how the draw-head of the coupler is mounted, so long as it is arranged in such a manner that the drawheads of the cooperating couplers can move vertically in unison when the cars are in motion.

A car coupler of the construction above described eliminates the possibility of a train becoming uncoupled accidentally, due to an abnormal vertical movement of "one of the draw-heads, owing to the fact that the connecting element or knuckle of the coupler is provided with means which prevents it from moving vertically relatively to the knuckle of the coupler with. which it cooperates. lf a car becomes derailed the knuckle of the coupler on said car will remain securely interlocked with the knuckle of the cooperating coupler, the springs that support the draw-bars making it possible for the draw-heads to move vertically suiticiently to prevent damage to the couplers. The ribs or teeth 6 on the knuckles do not interfere with the free movement of knuckles during the operation of coupling or uncoupling cars, as said ribs extend throughout the entire height of the knuckle and are of such cross-sectional shape that they will seat automatically dun ing the coupling operation and pull apart without causing the knuckles or the drawheads to am or bind during the uncoupling operation. In addition to the desirable feature above mentioned, my improved coupler makes it possible to securely couple together two cars whose draw-bars are arranged in such relation to each other that only the bottom portion of one knuckle will engage the top portion of the cooperating knuckle, for if one tooth on the knuckle is interlocked with a tooth on the cooperating knuckle relative vertical movement of the knuckles will be prevented, even when the draw-heads are given a sudden shock or jar. Furthermore, such a coupler makes it possible to couple together-two cars whose draw-bars cause the knuckle of the coupler to engage the cooperating knuckle. After the knuckles have been arranged in engagement with each other the interlocking teeth 6 on same will prevent the lower draw-bar from moving downwardly back to its normal position.

I prefer to form the knuckle in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3, as a knuckle of this design can be manufactured at approximately the same cost as the standard M. C. B. knuckle; it overcomes the necessity of using right and left knuckles; it is exceptionally strong and rigid and it allows for considerable variation in the relative horizontal position of the draw-heads.

Instead of forming ribs or teeth on the inner side of the knuckle, namely, on that surface of the knuckle which co-acts with or bears upon. the cooperating knuckle; the knuckle could be formed in the manner shown in Fig. l, wherein horizontally-disposed teeth or ribs 6 are formed on the front side of the knuckle and similar teeth or ribs are formed on the draw-head.' When a coupler of this design is in service the ribs 6 on the knuckle will mesh or interlock with the teeth 6 on the draw-head of. the ad jacent coupler, and thus effectively prevent relative vertical movement of the cooperating drawheads in the manner previouslydescribed.

One desirable feature of my coupler not heretofore mentioned but perfectly obvious from the design of the coupler, is that it tends to prevent cars from telescoping when they being coupled together. With couplers of the kind known in general use cars frequently telescope during the coupling operation, by reason of the knuckle on one coupler slipping upwardly past the knuckle of the other coupler when the couplers come together. With my improved coupler this is impossible, for after the knuckles have engaged each other, the cooperating tceth 6 on same prevent one knuckle from'slipping upwardly past the other knuckle. Still another desirable feature of my coupler is that it prevents a draw bar that has been pulled out of a car from dropping onto the track and possibly derail ing one of the following cars, this, of course, being due to thefact that-the teeth on the knuckle of the draw-bar that has been displaced or pulled out of position are firmly interlocked with the teeth on the knuckle of the cooperating coupler in such a way that they prevent the displaced draw-bar from dropping down.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A car coupler provided with a solid knuckle that is equipped throughout its entire height with horizontally-disposed ribs or teeth that are adapted to mesh with similar teeth on the knuckle of the cooperating coupler so as to prevent relative vertical movement of said knuckles when the couplers are in service, said teeth being provided with blunt ends and the grooves between 

